Jane M. Neale Obituary

#Middlebury #Obituary

After a long and wonderful life, Jane M. Neale of Middlebury died peacefully November 22, 2020 at her home, surrounded by her family. She was the widow of Kenneth R. Neale, the great love of her life.

Jane was born January 17, 1926, in Waterbury, the daughter of the late George and Rachel (Bryan) McCleary. She was raised in Watertown and lived in Middlebury for 63 years. She was devoted to her family and took great pride in being a good wife and mother. She loved young children and cherished her time teaching at St. George’s nursery school.

Jane loved nature and passed that love on to her children, traveling across the country with Ken and the kids to visit many national parks, picking up pine cones along the way for her Christmas wreaths. She could identify all the birds that visited her window feeders and the wildflowers she saw on walks in fields and forests. She had many lifelong friendships that she cherished. She felt particularly blessed, later in her life, by the companionship of her dog, Spike, and her longtime friend, Henry Long. As treasured as those relationships were, none compared to the joy her grandson Robbie brought to her life.

Jane is survived by two sons, David Neale of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire and Jonathan Neale (Christine) of Quincy, Massachusetts; two daughters, Elizabeth Neale-Siemon (Robert) of Litchfield, and Naoko Nano of Osaka, Japan; and her grandson, Robert Siemon III of Brooklyn, New York. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her brothers, George McCleary Jr., and Robert McCleary; her dog, Spike, and her friend, Henry Long Jr.

Jane’s family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Jane’s caregivers, Venice, Carol, Lisa, Sabina, and especially to Elizabeth Parlangeli and her family, who treated Jane as a member of their family and became treasured members of Jane’s.

The funeral service and burial are private and at the convenience of the family. There are no calling hours. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Hickcox Funeral Home at 195 Main St. in Watertown.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to CT Food Bank, 2 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492, www.ctfoodbank.org. For additional information or to leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.hickcoxfuneralhome.com.